


the waters turn from blue to red

by bugmadoo



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Pillow Talk, Wedding Night, this is honestly SO SOFT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 23:06:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8597293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugmadoo/pseuds/bugmadoo
Summary: “We’re getting married tomorrow,” Robert whispers. He can’t keep the smile from spreading and he feels like he’s going to burst out of his own skin in the best possible way. | The night before and the night after Robert and Aaron's wedding.





	

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from rabbit heart by florence + the machine  
> i deliberately left out the wedding ceremony itself because i'm pretty sure we're going to actually see that part and i thought i'd concentrate on the parts we won't see so yeah enjoy!!

It’s Vic’s incredulous voice that greets him when he enters the pub.

“Robert, what d’you think you’re doing here?”

“A pint please, Vic,” Robert replies, hoping she won’t say what Robert knows is coming.

“You’re not supposed to be here! You know you’re not supposed to see your future husband the night before the wedding!”

“I know, Vic. You’ve only said it fifty times.” He tries his hardest not to roll his eyes. “And I’m pretty sure that rule only applies to sleeping in the same bed.”

She looks at him skeptically, her arms crossed and Robert hears Chas scoff a laugh somewhere to his right. He knows it’s not an argument he’s going to win. It doesn’t stop him from trying though.

“Come on, Vic, Aaron isn’t even here,” he says, gesturing at the pub’s patrons behind him for emphasis. It only causes Vic to raise an eyebrow. Robert sighs.

“Well, unless you want me to go crazy in that box room of yours, you’re going to have to let me sit at the bar and drink something.”

As if on cue Chas sets down a pint in front of him and he accepts it gratefully. She winks at him as he drinks it greedily.

“Fine,” Vic says finally, “you can stay here as long as you promise not to go through to the back.”

Robert raises his hand. “I promise.”

Vic shoots him another suspicious glance before disappearing back into the kitchen and Robert is glad that she’s working that evening or he would have had to put up with constant supervision. He knows she means well but him and Aaron are hardly traditional so he’d protested a lot when Vic started implementing them. However, Victoria and Aaron are the only two people he ever had a hard time denying so Vic had gotten her wish in the end which means Robert is sleeping back in her box room for the night. It’s the worst, Robert thinks.

Before Robert can start of coming up with a plan so Chas will let him into through to Aaron without telling Vic, Aaron is standing there, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed, smiling. Out of the corner of his eye, Robert sees Chas shake her head but it doesn’t really register because nothing is able to calm the storm inside of him as much as Aaron does.

They look at each other for a moment that seems to stretch on and on and then without making a decision, Robert stands up and walks to the other side of the bar where Aaron’s now waiting. It’s all a rush, really, until the touch of Aaron’s lip registers through the haze, bright as the sun and piercing with its intensity.

The kiss is short but through it Aaron says everything Robert needs to hear. He exhales deeply when their lips part again, Robert’s hand never leaving the nape of Aaron’s neck.

“I can’t stay long because Vic will kill me otherwise but I’ll text you later, yeah?”

Aaron smiles and nods in response. Robert closes his eyes again, leaning his forehead against Aaron’s and tries his hardest to ignore that they’re in a pub and that Vic would be more than angry if she found them like this but, honestly, Robert can’t bring himself to pull away. He realizes that it is slightly ridiculous of him because they’re getting married tomorrow and he’ll get as much time as he wants with Aaron but sometimes it still doesn’t feel enough. With Aaron, it’s never enough.

The moment is broken when Chas loudly clears he throat as she tries to pass them to deliver the two pints in her hands. They break apart, Robert squeezing Aaron’s hand as a promise for more later, and with one last kiss Robert turns and leaves the Woolpack.

+

Robert is convinced that Adam zapping through the channels like it’s nobody’s business is the main reason behind the headache brooding and pulsing behind Robert’s left temple. Judging by the wistful looks Vic is giving Adam however, Robert seems to be the only one in that predicament and he turns his eyes back to the TV, scowling and wishing he wasn’t in Keepers Cottage right now. Then again, Vic and Adam probably aren’t too keen on the fact that they’re not alone either.

After another wave of pulsing in his temple that almost manages to blur the vision in his left eye, Robert decides that half ten is an acceptable time to go to bed and, if he’s lucky, get a couple hours of kip before he has to get up again.

He stands up slowly, sighing in relief when his movement doesn’t make his headache worse, and puts his hands in his pockets.

“Are you going to sleep already?” Vic asks and it surprises Robert a little because she seemed so lost in staring at the telly while running her fingers through Adam’s hair that he didn’t think she’d notice him ducking out.

“Yeah, you know, big day tomorrow and everything. I gotta catch my beauty sleep.”

“That’s not gonna help now, is it?” Adam pipes up.

Robert is about to reply but Vic speaks first, “Give me your keys.”

He laughs, turning to walk away, but one look at her face tells him that she is dead serious. “You what?”

“Give me your keys to the pub, Robert, I’m not having you sneak over there in the middle of the night.”

He has to keep his face from falling because he doesn’t think he’s been that transparent about his plans to do just as Vic has just accused him of, but apparently his little sister knows him better than Robert anticipated.

Reluctantly, he fishes the keys out of his pocket and hands them over. Vic smiles as him victoriously, clutching the bunch of keys tightly in her closed fist.

"Good night, Robert," she says cheerily. Robert waves her off as he makes his way to the kitchen, getting a glass of water and an aspirin before he ascends the stairs to the room he used to call his.

+

Thankfully, Robert has been living in the Woolpack long enough to know which floorboards to avoid if he wants to sneak around the pub at night. He skips the last step of the stairs and takes a big stride towards the landing, eyes darting around and making sure none of the doors are suddenly opening. The last thing he needs is Charity thinking he’s a stranger who’s breaking and entering.

He’s as quiet as possible as he pushes down the door handle of his and Aaron’s room, and he enters it quickly and releases the handle just as slowly as he pushed it down. He’s frozen in place for a second, willing his heart to calm down while listening for any sounds from outside. He starts counting inside his head and when he reaches ten without any disturbances, he takes a deep breath.

Robert finally turns around and sees that the light on the bedside table on Robert’s side is on. Aaron’s sitting in their bed, his head leaning to the side on a propped-up pillow, eyes closed and lips parted slightly. Aaron’s arms are resting on top of the blanket, phone visibly lying between his loose fingers. The sight makes Robert’s chest ache with indescribable fondness. Aaron fell asleep while waiting for him and Robert feels a second of guilt for making him wait in the first place, but the good feelings in his chest vastly overshadow the bad.

Contemplating what to do, Robert walks around to Aaron’s side and sits down.

The lighting in the room is not very bright but still, Robert catches the ring on the finger of Aaron’s left hand and he smiles as another wave of soft and warm affection comes over him. He takes Aaron’s hand and leans forward to place a lingering kiss on Aaron’s forehead. He stirs slowly, eyes squinting and fingers twitching.

“Rob?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” he whispers. “Sorry I’m late.”

Aaron closes his eyes and smiles, “It’s alright.”

“You alright?” Robert asks, cupping Aaron’s cheek.

“Yeah,” he says, soft and sleepy, “the bed’s cold without you though.”

Robert smiles and leans their foreheads together for a second before he follows Aaron’s unvoiced command to hurry the hell up and get into bed. He walks over to his side of the bed, lifts the cover, and settles into bed, lying on his side and facing Aaron.

He watches his future husband nuzzle his head into the pillow until he seems satisfied, a subtle smile on Aaron’s lips and all Robert wants in that moment is to kiss and kiss and kiss Aaron and never stop.

As much as Robert might want it however, it’s not very feasible so he compromises and kisses Aaron’s lips once, slow like honey and just as sweet. He’d hoped that he could talk with Aaron since he hadn’t seen much of him throughout the day and there are questions he wants to ask, but Robert can tell that Aaron is tired so he leaves it for now. He has a lifetime to ask them now after all.

“We’re getting married tomorrow,” he whispers. He can’t keep the smile from spreading on his lips and he feels like he’s going to burst out of his own skin in the best possible way. He hides his face in Aaron’s neck, kissing the patch of skin there, and there’s an urgency inside of him that makes him feel like he can’t live another second without touching Aaron as much as possible.

He can hear that Aaron’s smiling too when he says, “You’re gonna be stuck with me for life.”

Robert nods, kisses his throat again, and settles back with his head on the pillow. “Can’t wait,” he whispers.

+

He sneaks back into Keepers Cottage barely past 6am the next day and he sighs a sigh of relief when he finds the house is quiet, Vic and Adam still sleeping. He’s still careful as he walks into the kitchen to get himself a glass of water before he goes to catch a little more sleep.

“You two are unbelievable.”

Robert jumps so hard that he’s glad he didn’t already grab the glass out of the cabinet or it would have fallen and shattered on the tile floor of Vic’s kitchen. He turns around and sees Vic standing in one corner

“Jesus Christ, Vic. You shouldn’t try to give me a heart attack on my wedding day.”

She looks at him, cup of tea in her hands and one eyebrow pointedly raised.

“I just…” Robert starts before he’s too sure how he’s going to end the sentence, “I just sleep better when he’s next to me.”

Vic’s face softens with what Robert guesses is surprise and affection. Hehas to say he knows the feeling. Admissions like these usually aren’t as easy for him if they’re to anyone but Aaron.

“I won’t mention it again as long as I get showered in gifts and affection later on.”

Robert smiles, “Deal.”

+

The ceremony itself is short but sweet and despite his best efforts, he can’t help the one tear that escapes his eye when Aaron says _I do_ while he’s looking at Robert with a smile and a promise. They hold the reception at the pub afterward and enough people offer to buy Aaron a pint that his cheeks are perpetually red and Robert tries his best to burn that image to his memory forever.

+

“I’m knackered,” Aaron sighs when they enter their hotel room long past midnight, ties loose and feet hurting.

Robert hums in agreement and only takes a second to look at their home for the night. Aaron is already taking off his clothes when Robert walks out of the bathroom and when their eyes meet there’s a smirk on Aaron’s lips.

Robert’s only unbuttoning his pants when Aaron climbs on the bed and sits in the middle of the bed in his boxers, leaning back on his hands and obviously waiting for Robert to join him. Robert tries to hurry up but it feels like Aaron’s watchful gaze only makes his fingers clumsier and slower.

Eventually, Robert throws his last sock behind him somewhere and gets on the bed, kneeling in front of Aaron, their lips meeting in the middle. It’s like a fresh breath of air and Robert’s hand immediately finds the back of Aaron’s neck, as if Robert’s hand was made to rest at the spot for the rest of his life.

Robert breaks the kiss and pushes Aaron’s shoulders until he’s lying back on the bed, Robert straddling his hips. Goosebumps break out across Aaron’s skin when Robert leans forward to press a wet kiss to his collarbone. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Robert breathes against Aaron’s neck.

Aaron squirms underneath him and threads his fingers through Robert’s hair. “No, it was uh—it was kind of fun, actually.”

“Hmm,” Robert hums, dragging his lips from Aaron’s collarbone down to his nipple as he does. Aaron’s hips buck in response and Robert grinds down against him, feeling the hardness there already, and it sends a shiver down his spine.

Aaron runs his fingers through Robert’s hair, pulling and pushing as much as he can at the short strands, and Robert watches in delight when Aaron pushes his head back into the pillow. He doesn’t stop his journey at Aaron’s nipple though, but kisses his way down Aaron’s stomach, down, until he reaches his belly button and then further down. Robert kisses the head of Aaron’s cock and Aaron lets out a groan that Robert can basically feel brushing over his skin and leaving goosebumps. He thinks of drawing this out, teasing Aaron until he’s barely coherent, his skin flushed and sweaty, but it’s been a long day and he’s been waiting for this night for a long time and he’s not about to deny himself. Not when Aaron is right here under him, wearing promises on both of his ring fingers, and looks as gone as Robert feels.

Robert grabs the lube from the nightstand and silently thanks Aaron for the foresight of putting it there before he coats his fingers. Their eyes lock as Robert slowly pushes a digit inside but Aaron’s eyelids flutter shut when Robert crooks his finger and unerringly finds Aaron’s prostate.

Pausing his movements, Robert kisses the tip of Aaron’s nose. It has the effect that Robert hoped for because Aaron’s eyes open again, looking at Robert drunk in love and Robert knows the expression is mirrored on his own face. He adds another finger and then another until Aaron is relaxed and pliable in Robert’s hands in a way that almost scares him.

Aaron tilts up his chin and Robert complies by reconnecting their lips, warm and soft. Aaron’s lips are demanding and impatient, exploring territory that he should know like the back of his hand at this point. But Robert welcomes it and hopes despite the familiarity Aaron will never stop exploring.

Part of him wants to lose himself in the kiss forever but another part of him is aching for more. Robert breaks away, removes his fingers gently, sits back on his knees and spreads Aaron’s legs further apart. After he strokes his cock a handful of times, he lines himself up and starts to gradually push in, slowly but steadily. Aaron’s legs wrap around him, his heels digging into the backs of Robert’s thighs, driving him forward. When Robert’s fully inside, he pauses and then stretches out over Aaron again, bracing himself with one arm. He slides his free hand up Aaron’s chest until it’s wrapped loosely around the base of his throat.

“I wrote my own vows you know?” Robert says. “You wanna hear them?”

Aaron’s eyes are screwed shut but his lips are parted slightly. He pushes himself back against Robert, silently urging him to start moving but Robert doesn’t.

“Now?” Aaron breaths.

Humming in response, Robert licks the spot below the hinge of Aaron’s jaw, earning him a moan from Aaron.

“I promise to always make your tea just how you like it,” Robert says as he slowly pulls back his hips and pushed back in just as slow, a shudder running over his leg.

Aaron’s back arches and his fingers dig into Robert’s forearm. “Come on, Robert.”

“I promise to not wake you up when I’ve got early meetings,” Robert says and kisses Aaron’s cheek, “even though you always wake up anyway.”

“It’s impossible to – _ah shit_ – impossible to sleep through your noise.”

“So it’s not so you can kiss me goodbye in the morning?” Robert pants, not able to hide his smile.

“Course not,” Aaron protests, but he’s so out of breath already that Robert can’t even begin to try and take him seriously.

“I promise to always kiss you hello when you come back from work,” Robert continues as a bead of sweat drips down the side of his neck. He runs his mouth along the edge of Aaron’s jaw, gently nipping at the skin there. He sounds breathless, and his words are starting to slur together a little, but he keeps going. “I promise to always lock the door of the portacabin so Adam doesn’t walk in on us shagging ever again.”

“Robert what kind of vows-“

Robert kisses Aaron to cut him off because he needs to say this and he needs to say it now.

“First and foremost,” Robert continues, “I promise to never make you doubt how much I love you ever again.”

Aaron looks at him with wide eyes. “And I promise to never let you down again. I promise I won’t run when it gets hard. I promise to always be right next to you when you need me."

With every promise he speaks, Robert moves harder, faster. He can feel the coil in his stomach tightening and knows he won’t be able to last much longer. Judging by the look on Aaron’s face when Robert reaches between them to wrap his hand around his cock, he’s just as close.

It only takes a handful of strokes before Aaron’s breath stutters, stops, and then is released shakily. Aaron’s fingers dig into Robert’s body and his muscles tighten all around him. It sends Robert over the edge himself, takes his breath and his heartbeat running.

They’re both spent and out of breath, but Robert doesn’t move, still hovering over Aaron, intimately connected, their lips barely an inch apart, their foreheads touching.

“And I vow to never stop loving you.”

Robert can feel Aaron’s breath stuttering and he closes his eyes, just as overwhelmed as Aaron seems to be. This moment is more than Robert ever thought he’d get to have.

Aaron places a lingering kiss on Robert’s temple, his hand running up and down Robert’s t back, and he feels warm in a way that has nothing to do with the room temperature. He really doesn’t want to move and burst their bubble but he knows he has to or this is going to become rather uncomfortable soon, especially for Aaron.

He pulls out slowly and convinces himself to make the short trip to the bathroom to get a washcloth so they can both clean up properly. It doesn’t take long for them to finally pull back the covers and get settled into bed but it feels long as hell, the events of the day settling into his bones with a deep but content tiredness.

They lie next to each other, staring at the ceiling, their fingers tangled.

“Did you, uh, did you mean all that?” Aaron says, interrupting the silence hesitantly.

Robert turns his head towards him to see that Aaron’s eyes are staring straight ahead and he’s biting his lips. He’s nervous, which is not something Robert had wanted to achieve with his earlier admission but he still understands why.

“Of course I did. All of it,” he replies and turns on his side, squeezing Aaron’s fingers between his. Aaron is still not looking at him.

“Are you—?” The question hangs there incomplete, as Aaron worries at his lower lip. Robert watches as Aaron swallows and then his eyes finally meet Roberts. “Are you mad I didn’t wanna say our own vows? I didn’t know you went ahead and still wrote your own.”

Robert lifts his free hand to cup Aaron’s cheek. “Not mad, no. I wrote them for you and for you only. I knew you wouldn’t be comfortable with it in front of other people and that’s fine, Aaron. They were only for _you_ to hear.”

Aaron looks down at their intertwined hands and Robert watches as the nervous expression on Aaron’s face gives way to a far happier one, a smile spreading more and more, lighting up every corner and every line of Aaron’s face.

“I love you too, you know?” Aaron says, their eyes meeting again.

“I reckoned you do since you married me today and everything.”

Aaron’s free hand playfully pushes Robert’s shoulder but at the same time Aaron honest to god _giggles_ and it makes Robert heart melt in his chest.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me at [softrobertsugden](softrobersugden.tumblr.com)!


End file.
